BPD believes six robberies in November and December may be related
Berkeley Police Department issued a crime alert Wednesday reporting a string of six attempted and completed robberies over the course of several weeks that officers believe may be related.
Since December, there have been three pedestrian robberies that police believe could be related to three previous incidents that occurred in mid-November. In response, BPD is increasing patrols in North Berkeley, where the majority of the crimes took place.
“Based on the descriptions of the suspects, and the geographic proximity of the crime scenes, Detectives believe that the cases are related,” the alert stated, referencing the three December robberies.
On Dec. 1., BPD received reports that a 27-year-old male victim was approached by two suspects while walking in the area of Virginia St. and Arch St. One of the suspects — described as a male whose face was covered — produced a handgun and demanded the victim’s property. The suspects proceeded to flee eastbound on Virginia St. with the victim’s property, according to the alert.
The following night, two suspects approached a 27-year-old man walking home about 10:53 p.m. One of the suspects was described as a 5-foot-8 male adult and the other suspect was described as a 5-foot-10 adult male with a slender build. According to the alert, the armed suspect demanded the victim’s backpack and the pair then fled southbound on Walnut St. in a vehicle of unknown make. Although the car was later stopped in San Francisco and an arrest was made, the victim’s property was not recovered, nor was the weapon. According to the BPD report, detectives believe both suspects to be still at large.
Three days later, on Dec. 5, a couple was robbed at gunpoint about 7:13 p.m. near the intersection of Spruce St. and Virginia St. According to the alert, the suspects — described as male adults in their 20s or 30s — fled eastbound on Virginia St. with the victims’ phones and backpacks.
On Nov. 15, BPD received reports that two adult men, described as 5-foot-8 to 5-foot-10 in height, allegedly strong-arm robbed a 24-year-old man walking on the 1500 block of Oxford St., taking his cell phone around 11:40 p.m.
A 17-year-old UC Berkeley student walking alone near the intersection of Bowditch St. and Dwight Way at about 11:20 p.m. was robbed a week later, according to the alert. The alert stated that three adult males, described as approximately 5-foot-8 in height, allegedly “snuck up” on the victim, demanding his property, while one brandished a knife. The victim subsequently gave the suspects the contents of his backpacks, according to the alert.
The alert stated that three days later, three suspects — two described as between 20 and 30 years old and another described as about 20 — allegedly attempted to rob a 24-year-old victim and a 26-year-old victim, grabbing their purses. The victims, however, were able to hang onto their property and the alleged suspects eventually fled into a waiting car, according to the alert.
Contact Jessica Lynn and Harini Shyamsundar at newsdesk@dailycal.org.